The Final Battle
: Overview In this quest the Arisen finally must face and defeat the great Dragon Grigori, and rescue their beloved from the clutches of the Dragon. The quests events take place at The Tainted Mountain Temple, and on The Tainted Mountain itself, before a flight to the peak of the mountain where the Dragon must be vanquished. Victory here grants unique Dragon Weapons, the Godsbane, and begins the cataclysmic events of the finale of their story. Walkthrough The quest begins following the events of Deny Salvation - after destroying the Salvation leader, the Dragon taunts the Arisen to face him atop The Tainted Mountain. At this point the Arisen may discover that someone close to them has gone missing - they will have been kidnapped by the Dragon. Onward to the Dragon Pawns will suggest visiting the Dragonforged at Hillfigure Knoll - this optional visit grants the Arisen further advice, a Dragonleather Vest, and the knowledge scroll Draconian Strategy Vol. 1. Before returning to the Greatwall Encampment and entering The Tainted Mountain Temple, prepare for this epic battle. Bring health and stamina curatives, select skills and augments, and choose weapons and equipment. Once prepared and within the Greatwall castle, go straight ahead to the cell door leading downstairs to The Tainted Mountain Temple. The staircase leading to upper areas will have been destroyed and is no longer accessible. Getting to the Tainted Mountain Upon entering The Tainted Mountain Temple, it may seem familiar. This is the same area the previous Arisen Savan fought the Chimera in the prologue quest The End at the Beginning. Here new enemies are found, firstly on the 'Path to Dragon's Domain' are Geo Saurians who are far more resilient than regular Saurians, then flying Succubi, capable of inflicting Curse. Move onward through the tunnels to a pillared room with more Geo Saurians. Here are several chests with weapons or armor, and scattered curatives and gold. Leaving the pillared room leads through a passage with the Holding Room with a Gather spot that may yield the Draconian Strategy Vol. 2 scroll. Onwards to a large chamber with upper balcony, the 'Temple Antechamber'. Here the Arisen will encounter fire breathing Hellhounds and three more Succubi. Beyond this chamber leads a Spider infested passage to the 'Grand Hall', guarded by a Gorechimera, a more powerful type of the Chimera species. Defeat the Gorechimera and then stand on each of the four Pressure Plates around the room to open the great door. Beyond the door is the Dragon, Grigori. The Battle with the Dragon After entering the Dragon's Lair, there will be a monologue where the Dragon will give the Arisen an offer: Face him in battle or sacrifice the Arisen's Beloved. Choose battle to save the Beloved, and face the Dragon. Battle is also initiated if the Arisen pre-emptively attacks the Dragon. The first part of The Final Battle with the Dragon involves escaping the temple, whilst the Dragon attempts to kill the Arisen, destroying the structure of the temple in the process - run from the Dragon as it pursues through a corridor, and then in the next large chamber inflict damage by striking his heart and expose it. The Dragon will then fly off, and the Arisen must now pursue him. (Here a chest in the hall contains Molten Boots.) The party now leaves the Temple and enters ruins of a great city, on the slopes of The Tainted Mountain. The pursuit takes place on a high bridge in the open leading to watchtowers. On exiting the temple there is a Ring of Argent in a chest to the right side of the bridge. Once the Arisen starts towards the first tower, the Dragon will attack again, collapsing the bridges in the process. Run to the first tower, and take temporary refuge there before traversing a second bridge to face the Dragon. In the tower are chests containing a Flame Skirt and another with Dragon Hide Bracers. Now traverse a second set of elevated bridge-walkways to the second tower - within is a chest containing a Stalwart Earring, and atop the tower are two further chests containing a Dragon Band and Champion's Bangles. At the top of the tower the fight with the Dragon is resumed. Either Arisen or pawns must mount a ballista and fire a bolt at the Dragon's heart. The Dragon will strafe the tower and the Arisen manages to affix themselves on the Dragon's back. Journey to the mountain summit Following the Arisen miraculously grabbing onto the Dragon's tail at the tower, the Dragon will fly with great speed towards its nest on the Tainted Mountain summit. Climb forward, against the rush of wind toward the glowing "heart" on its back. Avoid being thrown off during quicktime events by rotating the L-stick rapidly. After striking the heart, the Dragon will be felled from flight and fall to the ground, together with the Arisen (another quicktime event requires the Arisen to avoid being eaten). The final showdown with the Dragon then commences on the Tainted Mountain summit - a circular crater like battlefield. Here are several minor items to be gathered including a Noble Earring near to the start position on the ground. Other items include a Harmonious Earring, a Golden Belt, and an Exuberant Earring. Fight and defeat the Dragon. (Refer to the page Grigori for tactics and other details.) In general the Dragon's heart is his primary weakness. The organ must be exposed and attacked to inflict significant damage; the Dragon is weak to Dark, not Ice or Holy. Grigori may fly away and attack from out of range - ballistae located around the rim of the battlefield can be used to bring him to the ground once more. Pawns may reduce the Dragon's health to one point, but only the Arisen can strike the final blow. Victory On defeat the Dragon will curse the Arisen, throwing into doubt their victory - a cutscene plays showing [[The Dragonforged] turn to dust, Duke Edmun age many years, and a cataclysm befall Gran Soren as the ground opens up swallowing most of the Urban Quarter. Unperturbed, the Arisen, their party, and the rescued beloved will return to civilization from the mountain, whilst in-game credits roll. This is the end of the Dragon's quest, but not of the main quest itself. Victory earns base rewards of 65,000 Gold, 80,000 Experience Points, 60 Rift Crystals, the Godsbane, and a Crimson Dragon Scale; all of the Arisen's equipped weapons and armor will be dragonforged. In addition one or two unique Dragon Weapons will be rewarded based on the Arisen's vocation, and current equipment - either : Dragon's Dogma (Sword) : Dragon's Toll (Mace) : Dragon's Bite (Longsword) : Dragon's Repast (Warhammer) : Dragon's Vein (Daggers) : Dragon's Nous (Staff) : Dragon's Wit (Archistaff) : Dragon's Aegis (Shield) : Dragon's Faith (Magick Shield) : Dragon's Rancor (Bow) : Dragon's Blink (Longbow) : Dragon's Breath (Magick Bow) On defeating the Dragon the Arisen's heart scar will be mended - the quest completes with the Arisen awakening in their house in Cassardis, awaited by the person they rescued. The story continues as part of the quest A Warm Welcome. Quotes Grigori :"You would face me, then? 'Tis a fool's choice, Arisen. But better fool than craven. I knew your mind ere you came... Still, I ask this final time. Arisen, will you stand and fight?" :"Then you will renounce your bond with this human and make an offering of their death? I shall not judge you, Arisen, for weakness is your nature as a child of man. I ask this final time. Will you turn and leave this place?" :"Doubt still holds you... Very well. We have time, you and I." :"Your choice is made, Arisen! As you have willed it, so shall it be!" :"Though I called you here to me, it was ever your own feet, your own will that brought you. And now again, the choice is yours, Arisen." :"Offer up the life of your beloved, here and now, and you shall live as sovereign of this land. Your heart will remain ever in my safekeeping, and with it your mortality." :"Or, if you would stand against me now, as at the outset of your journey, I shall allow it. Take up your tiny barbs of steel and fight. I shall respond with the all of my being." The Arisen's beloved will have something to say after being rescued. Some specific characters have unique dialogue : Selene : "There, in the dragon's keeping, I was frightened...Truly frightened. Scared to die...After meeting you, I was scared to lose it all...'Twas the first time I had ever been truly conscious of death. 'Til now it had ever held little meaning for me as a pawn. But it is that mortality that gives human life its color. Life without death is no life, in truth. I've come to understand that now, as a human myself." Quina : "It's strange the things I missed. The scent of the ocean, The sound of waves on the shore...I...I shall never neglect to appreciate them again. I believe I understand now. When the dragon gave you that wound, it wasn't to harm you...It was marking you as chosen. A sign you were fated for great things...This world but spins in a great circle, for all eternity. Your struggle against that dragon is simply one arc in that circle. In truth, I care not for fate, or heroism, or whatever deeper purpose you were meant to serve. You saved my life...It is a debt I can never repay." Madeleine : "I thought it was my end when the dragon took me. Truly, I did. But just when hope was lost, you risked all to rescue me. I've no doubt it was the fates at work. When we first met here, in this village, I was desperate eh? Oh, I wore a proud face, but I was at my tether's end, and no mistake. Thanks to the wyrm, near all the goods I planned to sell were lost. If not for you, I'd mostlike been forced to sell even myself...Doubtless such a life would've lead me to an early grave. From the first momment we spoke, I knew I could rely on you. And with your support, I found the strength to give it all another go 'round. You've saved us all from the dragon's wrath. Call it fate, or fortune, or destiny - we're the two of us here for a reason, you and I. Perhaps we're to spend the rest of our days together...Oh, spare me that look! I say it with all my heart...Truly!" Aelinore : "You are ever my knight in gleaming armor. You championed me against the wyrm itself! I couldn't abide living in this cursed land any longer...But as I fled, I was captured by the dragon. I near lost all hope entirely. I was deathly afraid. In truth, I was afraid even of returning home. My father would never abide my having sundered the marriage he crafted. There was a time I even considered death...But when the momment came...there, in the dragon's talons, I found myself calling out to you. And you came. You have saved me, ser, and not just with steel and valor. I fear my words fail me...You have saved my all, my dearest warrior. My great redeemer." Mercedes : "Pray, let me apologize... I was as like to die of shame as dragon's fire. To have been the beast's captive so easily, and to have caused you peril for it... I am sorry. 'Twas a duel to the death you fought with the wyrm. Sincere as any I've seen. And yet, there was a sense of... familiarity between you. An air of kinship, almost. I harbor no delusion that I might have been of any help, had I a blade in hand. But what's more, there was an aura there, fit to bar any intercessors. 'Twas enough to make me envious, the bond you shared with the beast as equals. Pray, do not take offense, but I saw a likeness in you and the dragon. Where that resemblance lies, exactly, I could not say... but you and it both are things apart from the world. Unique. I well know that no effort I might spend could e'er make me fit to aid you, Arisen. I am fit to believe in you, and wait. And so I shall. Pray, come back to me alive, ser." Reynard : "My head feels clear, somehow. Like a man finally free from the haze of a night's drinking. When I felt the Wyrm's talons about me, sure I was a dead man, all went black a moment. Then there you were, somehow. In my mind, I saw you. I knew it sure as the sky is blue, that you would come for me. My head's held little but thought of my father these years past. With nothing to drive me on...no purpose to clutch to my breast, I faltered. 'Tis only natural that a man left hollow should fall, no different than a rotted tree. But I am hollow no more. Not empty, but a clean slate. Free of all that's burdened me. I feel ready to begin anew. To start fresh. Together, with you." Julien : "As I think on it now, 'tis a funny thing... Just what am I come here to do? Until now, I have acted for my homeland and its people. I well know others would brand me a villain, but I have e'er followed a knight's path, as I see it. But now... Having stood betwixt you and the dragon, I am humbled. Yours was a struggle far above the petty matters I've long concerned myself with. The wyrm exists beyond diplomacy and intrigue, unbound by oath or expectation. As do you. You've given me cause to see how miniscule, how insignificant I truly was, though I bear you no ill will for it. Nay, I think you. I thank you and watch on with eager interest where you journey takes you next." Valmiro : "There's aught I learned, after what you did... I'd always thought you strong, good fisher. Since we were but minnows. But you're still human. You've no perfect will of unshakeable iron. On that mountain, you weren't free of doubt. The choice you made was real, and painful, I doubt it not. You knew you might die, like as not. You just have been scared, but you still chose. I see now that to think you strong is to sell you short. You're--you're much greater. You face each coming trial as best you're able, wrestle with it, and make your choice. I am a lucky man indeed to share a bond with such as you." Trophies/Achievements *If the Beloved is sacrificed to the Dragon, the game will end with the Arisen as lord of Gransys - this unlocks the Solitude Achievement/Trophy. Notes at the initial confrontation with Grigori.]] Preparation and considerations *The enemies in the Tainted Mountain Temple are weak to Holy and Ice, whilst the Dragon is vulnerable to Dark. *Everything the Arisen is wearing/wielding will be Dragonforged on defeating the Dragon. *All unfinished quests, excluding monster elimination, and Badge of Vows quests will be terminated on finishing this quest. *At the top of the round tower in the temple, Pawns can fire the ballistae and hit the Dragon's heart, so open the chests as soon as possible if the items within are desired. *The Dragon can be killed with a Maker's Finger at the first encounter in the temple, or at points after - if this is done the opportunity for the pawns to learn Bestiary knowledge will be lost, as well as the chance for rare equipment from chests. *For strategies to ensure a specific person is captured by the Dragon, see Beloved. *It is not necessary to defeat the Gorechimera to proceed - an alternative is to taunt the beast onto each of the Pressure Plates using its own weight to unlock the door - the giant door will open irrespective of whether or not the Gorechimera lives. * In Dark Arisen it seems if The Tainted Mountain Temple is exited after having activated at least one but not all pressure plates, it will become impossible to subsequently open the door and continue the game. Trivia *In early conceptions of the history and geography of Gransys, the Final Battle was to take place on a separate 'Dragon Isle'. Dragon Weapons Category:Quests Category:Main Quests Category:Articles Containing Spoilers Category:Bugs